Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-07-14
NM 4.


guilty, and the judge was about to pro-
| nounce the sentence, when he was in
terrupted by the prisoner, who asked
| the privilege of saying few words in
his own behalf. His speech was an adj
mission of guilt, plea for mercy, aud
all through a jolly, good-patured ac-
ceptance of the situation. AS he con-
cluded, he gave sign to his boatswain,
a shrill whistle sounded, and the entire
boats crew rushed in to the rescue oil
| their cold man." In the twinkling o'
an eye Judge and Jury, sheriff, lawyers
| and witnesses were haDdcuffed and the
tables completely turned. OF course
there was no end to the fun, and the
trial was the subject of conversation
for the rest of the voyage.
The last sixteen hours out from San
dy Hook was spent in one of those
dense fogs which make ocean naviga-
ton SO dangerous. For two days the
ocean had been smooth as mirror.
Not ripple to break the wonderful
stiffness, except those made by the
steamer itself. AS our last night on
board approached, the darkness and
the fog together made dense black
ness as / have rarely witnessed. Speed
was lessened until we scarce seemed to
move, and the dismal sound of our fog
horn was heard all through the night
at minute intervals. Late the next
morning the fog lifted, and We learned
from passing pilot that were near the
bar at Sandy Hook. At II p. NJ. we
were landed at New York City, and
our ocean voyage was at an end.
Much might be written about the
question that now agitates Great Bri-
tian and Ireland-that of Home Rule.
[ is mpossible to foresee the result of
the struggle, and much that is said and
done, as well as that which is left unsaid
and undone, is working great injury to
both parties to the conflict. There are
SO many factors in the pro blem, too, as
to make it a hopeless task to attempt
to arrange them all and figure it out to
Anything that smacks of disunion
should be repugnant to an American; /;
and that is what England claims Ire
land is striving for. Tyranny and op-
preston are equally Gistasteful to us,
and the whole world knows what Eng
land freely admits: that Ireland has
been treated most barbarOusly in the
past. Even America has unwittingly
her cheap products abroad and thereby
running the market for Irish farmers.
Numbers of grist-mllls in Ireland are
standing idle to-day, or have been
changed TO other uses, because Ameri
can flour can be bought cheaper by far
than the home product. In fact, there is
but shade difference in the price of a
barrel of -four at Minneapolis or New
gotten that Irishmen themselves are
responsible for many of their troubles.
1t is stated that the closing of the sa
looms on Sunday has reduced the sales
millions of dollars per annum. Multi
ply this by seven and you will have
represented large portion of the woes
of this unhappy country. In Ireland
only can you gain an idea Of the inten-
sity of their national feeling, and what
ever may be the end of their struggle
for freedom, it is certain that this feel
ing will live so long as an Irishman can
be found, And it is only in England
that you can see fully the grim determ-
ination to hold Ireland in subsection at
all hazards. Within fifty years the
population of Ireland has decreased by
one half. This fact presents one possi-
bic solution to the difficulty. AT this
rate early in the twentieth century Ire
land will have passed into history, and
will have an actual existence only in
the "lrish vote" found in America.
What seems strangest to me is that
England should repeat willingly the
history Of one hundred years ago, and
make an enemy where it would be so
much easier and better to make friend.
Some neat two-story houses with slate
roofs, and probably an acre of ground
attached, were pointed out to me in
Ireland as Gladstone houses. House
and lot were rented for 60 shillings a
year, or less than $3.50 per month, and
were striking contrast to the nearly
roofless, wIndowless and doorless huts
now occupied by Irish tenants as a
rule Enough of these Gladstone !"
houses could be built by Irish landlords
in year to redeem the land and change
thu people from enemies to friends.